Small All White in the Forest

Monday, May 27, 2013

Post No. 159: For Memorial Day 2013 — A Memorable Memorial Day

(Image by Paul Whiting)

Memorial Day 2013 is when I first wrote the following new saying for such a solemn holiday as Memorial Day: "Have A Memorable Memorial Day." Thus, 'Have A Memorable Memorial Day' was the title of the original poem for my May 27th, 2013 Memorial Day post on my "Small All White in the Forest" blog. (Please see 'My Poetic Notes' below for that original poem.) And I replaced that poem—which was written for the Memorial Day 2013 post—as I often do with my writing! You see, I replaced that poem when I came across a poem that I had written on May 30th, 2021, for Memorial Day on May 31st, 2021, which is titled, 'A Memorable Memorial Day,' and which is also titled, 'A Solemn Patriotic Poem,' as can be seen below:

A Memorable Memorial Day
(Or, "A Solemn Patriotic Poem")

He taps into his memorabilia;
She taps into her photo album;
They tap into their memories;
A day that taps into the
sacrifices that were made by
souls who have given their lives...

...I tap into my courage;
I tap into my patriotism;
I tap into my humility;
And I tap into a somber,
a solemnly respectful and
"A Memorable Memorial Day."

-Paul Whiting
(a.k.a., Small All White in the Forest)
"I am no barrier to its sun; the light and I are as one!"

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My Writing About IAVA's National Moment Of Silence, A.K.A. "The #GoSilent Campaign (for 2012): For Memorial Day 2012, I participated in the IAVA (Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America) national moment of silence for the all of Americans who have died in Iraq and Afghanistan since September 11th, 2001, in order to remember and honor their lives, their legacies and their last full measure of devotion for our country. And I also listened to patriotic music that celebrates the heroic sacrifice of all the men and women in the United States Military (both past and present), whose selfless dedication made it possible for American to become free and to remain free! –Paul Whiting (written May 28th, 2012, revised May 30th, 2022, revised July 19th, 2022, revised January 31st, 2023 and revised May 29th, 2023)

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My Writing About A New Saying 'Have A Memorable Memorial Day' For Such A Solemn Holiday As Memorial Day: On Memorial Day, rather than saying "Happy Memorial Day," I choose instead to say, "Have A Memorable Memorial Day," or I simply say, "Memorable Memorial Day." For, Memorial Day is a day of remembrance—just like a memorial service—and is truly about honoring the men and women who died while serving in the United States Military. –Paul Whiting (written May 27th, 2013, revised May 30th, 2022, revised May 31st, 2022, revised May 29th, 2023 and revised May 27th, 2024)

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My Writing About God Never Forgetting Those Who Have Served Him: For those of you who have lost loved ones, while your loved ones were serving in the United States Military, I wish you 'A Memorable Memorial Day' as a day of loving reflection and healing peace. Please always remember that God never forgets those who have served Him. –Paul Whiting (written May 30th, 2022, revised May 31st, 2022 and revised May 29th, 2023)

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My Writing About IAVA's National Moment Of Silence, A.K.A. "The #GoSilent Campaign" (for 2022) [May 30th, 2022 Update—Continued (Originally From My Blog Post Titled, "I Am No Longer Being An Activist In The Same Way That I Was," Which Is On My "Poet, Artist and Philosopher" Blog)]:

For Memorial Day 2022, I participated in the IAVA (Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America) national moment of silence for those "who made the ultimate sacrifice, including those we have lost due to their exposures to toxic chemicals while serving our great country" in order to remember and honor their lives, their legacies and their last full measure of devotion for our country.

And I also showed my support for the "Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act," or the PACT Act (H.R. 3967), which is "a culmination of years of work by national veterans groups, to finally establish that if a veteran has suffered an injury from toxic exposures like from burn pits during their deployments, they will be granted disability and healthcare benefits by the VA [Veterans Administration]."

And so, I sent letters to my Senators, via the IAVA website, urging them to support passing this critical legislation ASAP. And, after I sent those letters to my Senators, I also made a donation to Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) in order to show my support for IAVA's #GoSilent Campaign and for our U.S. Veterans!

–Paul Whiting (written May 30th, 2022, revised May 31st, 2022, revised July 19th, 2022, revised December 27th, 2022, revised January 31st, 2023, revised March 10th, 2023, revised May 26th, 2023, revised May 29th, 2023, revised September 10th, 2023 and revised May 27th, 2024)

[I feel like I need to clarify why there are so many 'revised dates' on this 'my writing,' just like there are often times so many 'revised dates' on other 'my writings' similar to this one! You see, I really try to keep my writing consistent as possible across all of my blogs. Therefore, as I am writing, I try to use the same phraseology wherever possible with regard to similar types of my writing so that, when I am editing my writing, I can change all of the similar writing at the same time and in the same way! Thus, a lot of the revisions indicated above, after my name (–Paul Whiting), and shown right after the original 'written date,' are often times due to these aforementioned consistent-writing revisions.]

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The #GoSilent Campaign

The image above is a screenshot of my smartphone alarm going off at 3:00 PM on Memorial Day, May 30th, 2022, to memorialize my participation in observing one minute of silence for "The #GoSilent Campaign" by the IAVA (Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America). And in the image you can see one of the many albums that I listened to over the weekend—of somber patriotic music—that is titled, "Memorial Day Parade: 40 Patriotic Songs" by American Music Experts on YouTube Music, which I started playing at 3:01 PM in order to represent the holiday wish "Have A Memorable Memorial Day."

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"Have A Memorable Memorial Day."

The image above is a screenshot of my smartphone alarm going off at 3:01 PM on Memorial Day, May 30th, 2022, in order to represent the holiday wish "Have A Memorable Memorial Day." And in the image you can see one of the many albums that I listened to over the weekend—of somber patriotic music—that is titled, "Memorial Day Parade: 40 Patriotic Songs" by American Music Experts on YouTube Music. Plus, I started playing the album after I observed one minute of silence at 3:00 PM for "The #GoSilent Campaign" by the IAVA (Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America) for Memorial Day.

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My Writing About IAVA's National Moment Of Silence, A.K.A. "The #GoSilent Campaign" (for 2023) [May 29th, 2023 Update—Continued Further Some More Than Before, Like Never Before (Originally From My Blog Post Titled, "I Am No Longer Being An Activist In The Same Way That I Was," Which Is On My "Poet, Artist and Philosopher" Blog)]:

For Memorial Day 2023, I participated in the IAVA (Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America) national moment of silence "for our nation’s heroes who have made the ultimate sacrifice," including "those who lost their lives during the Global War on Terror (GWOT)," which is "a war that continues to be waged to this day," because the "GWOT has killed more than 7,000 U.S. troops across more than two decades – every one of them volunteers." And I also made a donation to the IAVA (Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America) in order to show my support for IAVA's #GoSilent Campaign and for our U.S. Veterans. –Paul Whiting (written May 29th, 2023 and revised May 27th, 2024)

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The #GoSilent Campaign

The image above is a screenshot of my smartphone alarm going off at 3:00 PM on Memorial Day, May 29th, 2023, to memorialize my participation in observing one minute of silence for "The #GoSilent Campaign" by the IAVA (Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America). And in the image you can see one of the many albums that I listened to over the weekend—of solemn patriotic music—that is titled, "Memorial Day, The Best American Patriotic Songs & Marches: God Bless America, Star Spangled Banner, Taps, & More!" by Various Artists on YouTube Music, which I started playing at 3:01 PM in order to represent the holiday wish "Have A Memorable Memorial Day." [Please see the blog post titled, "Post No. 238: For Memorial Day, Part 2 — Memorial Day from 2012 (Looking Back...): 'The #GoSilent Campaign'"]

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"Have A Memorable Memorial Day."

The image above is a screenshot of my smartphone alarm going off at 3:01 PM on Memorial Day, May 29th, 2023, in order to represent the holiday wish "Have A Memorable Memorial Day." And in the image you can see one of the many albums that I listened to over the weekend—of solemn patriotic music—that is titled, "Memorial Day, The Best American Patriotic Songs & Marches: God Bless America, Star Spangled Banner, Taps, & More!" by Various Artists on YouTube Music. Plus, I started playing the album after I observed one minute of silence at 3:00 PM for "The #GoSilent Campaign" by the IAVA (Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America) for Memorial Day. [Please see the blog post titled, "Post No. 238: For Memorial Day, Part 2 — Memorial Day from 2012 (Looking Back...): 'The #GoSilent Campaign'"]

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My Writing About How I Have Changed The Way That I Label My Blog Posts 'Updates' For Any Additional 'Updates' That I Write, After The First 'Update,' By Using A Simple Numbering System, Which Starts With The First 'Update' [October 24th, 2023 Update No. 7 (Originally From My Blog Post Titled, "I Am No Longer Being An Activist In The Same Way That I Was," Which Is On My "Poet, Artist and Philosopher" Blog)]:

I have changed the way I label the blog post 'updates' that I write because I oftentimes write more than one 'update' per day!

And in the past, I have labeled the second, third, fourth and fifth 'update' with the following extensions—on the days that I write more than 'update'—to differentiate any additional 'updates' from the first one, as follows:

[1st] Month Day, Year Update
[2nd] Month Day, Year Update—Continued
[3rd] Month Day, Year Update—Continued Further
[4th] Month Day, Year Update—Continued Further Some More
[5th] Month Day, Year Update—Continued Further Some More Than Before

However today, October 24th, 2023, I actually had more than five 'updates' to write, so I decided to change how I differentiate any additional 'updates,' from the first 'update,' by using a simple numbering system, which actually starts with the first 'update' that I write, as follows:

Month Day, Year Update No. 1
Month Day, Year Update No. 2
Month Day, Year Update No. 3
Month Day, Year Update No. 4
Month Day, Year Update No. 5
Month Day, Year Update No. 6
Month Day, Year Update No. 7

Therefore, that is why this 'update' is the seventh one for today! –Paul Whiting (written October 24th, 2023 and revised October 28th, 2023)

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My Writing About IAVA's National Moment Of Silence, A.K.A. "The #GoSilent Campaign" (for 2024) [May 27th, 2024 Update No. 2 (Originally From My Blog Post Titled, "I Am No Longer Being An Activist In The Same Way That I Was," Which Is On My "Poet, Artist and Philosopher" Blog)]:

For Memorial Day 2024, I participated in the IAVA (Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America) national moment of silence "as our troops continue to be deployed in harm’s way to places like Iraq and Syria," which is why "this is also a good time to remind ourselves of those who keep stepping up and volunteering to risk their lives in order to keep us safe here at home every day." That is why I made the pledge to "#GoSilent with [IAVA] today at 3:00 PM local time to make sure that the sacrifice of the fallen is not forgotten, and to help us remind America of the true meaning behind Memorial Day." And I also made a donation to the IAVA (Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America) in order to show my support for IAVA's #GoSilent Campaign and for our U.S. Veterans. –Paul Whiting (May 27th, 2024)

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The #GoSilent Campaign

The image above is a screenshot of my smartphone alarm going off at 3:00 PM on Memorial Day, May 27th, 2024, to memorialize my participation in observing one minute of silence for "The #GoSilent Campaign" by the IAVA (Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America). And in the image you can see one of the many albums that I listened to over the weekend—of solemn patriotic music—that is titled, "Memorial Day Music" by Pianissimo Brothers on YouTube Music, which I started playing at 3:01 PM in order to represent the holiday wish "Have A Memorable Memorial Day."

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"Have A Memorable Memorial Day."

The image above is a screenshot of my smartphone alarm going off at 3:01 PM on Memorial Day, May 27th, 2024, in order to represent the holiday wish "Have A Memorable Memorial Day." And in the image you can see one of the many albums that I listened to over the weekend—of solemn patriotic music—that is titled, "Memorial Day Music" by Pianissimo Brothers on YouTube Music. Plus, I started playing the album after I observed one minute of silence at 3:00 PM for "The #GoSilent Campaign" by the IAVA (Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America) for Memorial Day.

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My Poetic Notes:

The reason that I wrote this poem can be summed up with the following statement: "On Memorial Day, rather than saying 'Happy Memorial Day,' I choose instead to say, 'Have A Memorable Memorial Day.' Or, I simply say, 'Memorable Memorial Day,' because this day of remembrance is like a memorial service. For, Memorial Day truly is about honoring the men and women who died while serving in the United States Military."

Although, to clarify, I revised the above-mentioned Memorial Day 2013 statement on Memorial Day 2023, as follows: "On Memorial Day, rather than saying 'Happy Memorial Day,' I choose instead to say, 'Have A Memorable Memorial Day,' or I simply say, 'Memorable Memorial Day.' For, Memorial Day is a day of remembrance, like a memorial service, and is truly about honoring the men and women who died while serving in the United States Military."

Just so you know, I replaced the original poem, which was written for this post, as I often do with my writing! And I replaced that poem when I came across a poem that I had written on May 30th, 2021, for Memorial Day on May 31st, 2021, which is titled, "A Memorable Memorial Day," and which is also titled, "A Solemn Patriotic Poem." Therefore, I wanted to show you that original poem, which is titled, "Have A Memorable Memorial Day."

And it was written like this:

Have A Memorable Memorial Day

Rather than saying
"Happy Memorial Day,"
I choose instead to say,
"Have a Memorable
Memorial Day."

Or, I simply say,
"Memorable Memorial
Day," because this day of
remembrance is like
a memorial service.

For, Memorial Day
truly is about honoring
the men and women who
died while serving in the
United States Military.

And, thus, I replaced it with the poem above.

Also, beginning in January 2013, I tried to create a post for virtually every holiday and special occasion of which I was aware, but I realized by September 2014 that I did not have enough time and energy to continue posting for every holiday and special occasion. And I decided to keep the poems in that series which were the most relevant to this blog, of which this is one.

And this poem was also published on my "Paul Whiting — A Creative Writer" blog (please see the hyperlink below for the blog), since I feel that the message in this poem applies to the message that I am trying to convey through "Paul Whiting — A Creative Writer."

This poem was written in Portland, Oregon.

-Paulee

https://paulwhitingwriting.blogspot.com

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May 30th, 2022 Update, Written On May 26th, 2022: Have a Memorable Memorial Day, everyone. I signed a Memorial Day card "for all the brave service members who put their lives on the line to defend our country" from the USO (United Service Organizations) today, May 26th, 2022, that I received today via an email with the subject line, "Sign the card to honor our heroes this Memorial Day", which stated the following:

Paul,

Too many people forget what Memorial Day is really about: honoring the military heroes who have made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our country.

That’s why we’re asking our most dedicated military supporters, including you, to show their support by signing our Memorial Day card for all the brave service members who put their lives on the line to defend our country. Please, will you be one of the 100,000 grateful Americans we need to sign the card and let our troops know how much we value and appreciate their service?

SIGN THE CARD***

I served multiple deployments during my time in the Navy, and I can’t tell you how much it meant to me and my fellow service members to know that folks back home were thinking of us on important holidays like Memorial Day.

Signing a card may not seem like much, but it sends a powerful message of support and gratitude to our troops as they make immense sacrifices to keep us safe and free. So please, before your Memorial Day weekend starts, will you sign the card now to help show our troops how much you appreciate their sacrifices?

SIGN THE CARD***

Thank you for taking a moment to stand with our troops before celebrating this special day with your loved ones. It means so much.

We hope you have a great Memorial Day weekend.

— [Name redacted], USO

***[I used to include hyperlinks contained within the email messages, or the text messages, to which I am referring in these "Activism Updates"; however, I could not figure out how to include the aforementioned hyperlinks, regarding some relevant action that I had taken—such as signing a petition, sending a letter or message to my representative(s) in Congress, signing a USO 'Thank You' card, and/or making a donation—without including my personal information.]

Plus, after I signed the card, I made a one-time donation on the USO.org website to say to our troops, "As we honor all of our military heroes this Memorial Day, we want you to know how grateful we are for your courageous service and the immense sacrifices you make every day to protect our country."

In addition to that, I already make a recurring monthly donation to the USO in order to show my support for our U.S. Military Personnel! You see, I usually make one-time donations to the USO each month—as often as I can manage when they request a donation via email or text message. Therefore, I am planning to continue making one-time donations to the USO in the future, as often as I can manage to make donations, in addition to making the aforementioned recurring monthly donation.

By the way, the 'article' above is actually a video, which is why I didn't include the author(s) name(s) and the publishing date.

By the way, did you know that the USO is a not-for-profit organization and not part of the Department of Defense (DoD)? The following description of the USO is from their 'About Us' webpage:

"The USO is not part of the federal government. A congressionally chartered, private organization, the USO relies on the generosity of individuals, organizations and corporations to support its activities, and is powered by a family of volunteers to accomplish our mission of connection."

So, that is why I 'volunteer financially' as a member of the "USO Home Team" through a recurring monthly donation, as well as through one-time donations to the USO each month!

–Paul Whiting (written May 26th, 2022, revised June 22nd, 2022, revised June 25th, 2022, revised June 26th, 2022, revised July 1st, 2022, revised August 16th, 2022, revised September 4th, 2022, revised November 18th, 2022, revised November 24th, 2022, revised December 27th, 2022, revised December 29th, 2022, revised April 11th, 2023, revised April 21st, 2023, revised April 27th, 2023, revised April 28th, 2023, revised May 14th, 2023, revised May 17th, 2023, revised May 26th, 2023, revised May 28th, 2023, revised June 14th, 2023, revised July 28th, 2023, revised September 27th, 2023 and revised November 18th, 2023)

[I feel like I need to clarify why there are so many 'revised dates' on this 'update,' just like there are often times so many 'revised dates' on other 'updates' similar to this one! You see, I really try to keep my writing consistent as possible across all of my blogs. Therefore, as I am writing, I try to use the same phraseology wherever possible with regard to similar types of my writing so that, when I am editing my writing, I can change all of the similar writing at the same time and in the same way! Thus, a lot of the revisions indicated above, after my name (–Paul Whiting), and shown right after the original 'written date,' are often times due to these aforementioned consistent-writing revisions.]

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May 29th, 2023 Update, Written On May 26th, 2023: Have a Memorable Memorial Day, everyone. I signed a Memorial Day card "to honor the military heroes who have made the ultimate sacrifice in service of our country" from the USO (United Service Organizations) today, May 26th, 2023, that I received today via an email with the subject line, "Before you kick off the holiday weekend, please take a moment to thank our troops.", which stated the following:

Paul,

With barbecues, parades and fireworks to look forward to, so many people tend to forget that Memorial Day is an occasion to honor the military heroes who have made the ultimate sacrifice in service of our country.

Before you celebrate this holiday weekend, we’re asking you to take a moment to remember our fallen heroes and show your support for the brave troops sacrificing so much today. Please, will you be one of the 100,000 patriotic Americans we need across emails, text messages, and advertisements to sign the card before Memorial Day ends, and let our heroes know how much folks back home value their service and sacrifice?

SIGN THE CARD***

My husband has had to miss precious time with family while serving in the U.S. Air Force, and while nothing can make up for those moments missed, I can tell you that having the support and gratitude of folks back home truly meant the world — to both of us.

As they risk their lives to protect ours, your signature, combined with thousands from other patriotic Americans, will send a powerful message of solidarity, one that can uplift a service member during their darkest moments. So please, don’t miss this opportunity to thank our troops: Sign immediately to stand with our heroes in uniform ahead of Memorial Day.

SIGN THE CARD***

Thank you for taking the time to be there for our military heroes before enjoying the holiday weekend with your loved ones. It truly means the world.

I hope you have a wonderful Memorial Day weekend.

—[Name redacted], USO

Hi, it's [name redacted] from the USO. I hope your long weekend is off to a great start - but I'm reaching out today to make sure we all take a few moments to remember what this day is truly about: honoring the military heroes who have made the ultimate sacrifice in service of our country.

We owe them, and those who continue to risk their lives to defend our country, so much. That's why the USO has set a goal of 100K signatures on this special Memorial Day thank-you card for troops deployed around the world to make sure they know we're thinking about them, today and every day.

As a military spouse, I can tell you that your words of support and gratitude really do make a difference, especially when a service member is missing their family or having a tough day. So, I'm personally asking, will you add your name?***

Thank you,
[Name redacted], USO

Between beach days and barbecues, too many people forget that Memorial Day is about remembering all the courageous heroes who have lost their lives in service to our country.

𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐰𝐞 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐩 𝐨𝐟 𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐀𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐬𝐧'𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐨𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐧. 𝐈𝐧 𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐝𝐚𝐲, 𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐜𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐲 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐩𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐮𝐩 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐩𝐬. 𝐖𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐣𝐨𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦?

Please, sign the thank-you card now to help reach our 100K signature goal and show our troops that you value and appreciate their immense sacrifices:***

-Team USO

This Memorial Day, help us reach 100k signatures on the card supporting our military heroes. They need to know we have their backs, so please, add your name now! >>***

Dear Paul,

Memorial Day weekend signifies many things: the start of summer, outdoor festivities and time spent with loved ones. But most importantly, this day is about solemn remembrance, commemorating the brave service members who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our nation.

Yesterday, today and every day, we must reflect on the sacrifice and service of American troops throughout our great nation's history. I am eternally grateful to all the brave heroes in uniform who put their lives on the line to defend the freedoms of our country. We must remember and honor their bravery and commitment every single day of the year.

As you get back to your long weekend, I want to thank this community of dedicated military supporters for understanding what this day is truly all about. No matter what, the USO will continue to remain steadfast in our commitment to honor and support service members and their families — and you are critical to that mission.

Thank you for being a part of this patriotic community and for standing with our courageous heroes in uniform.

Solemnly,

[Name redacted]
[Title redacted]
United Service Organizations, Inc.

So, I wanted to share the email above with you, my readers, as my last 'update' with regard to me signing the USO's Memorial Day card for 2023. You see, I signed the USO's card four times to thank our troops, plus I made four donations to the USO, based upon one email and three text messages that I received from May 26th, 2023 to May 29th, 2023.

(Please see my 'May 29th, 2023 Update, Written On May 26th, 2023,' and my 'May 29th, 2023 Update—Continued, Written On May 27th, 2023,' as well as my 'May 29th, 2023 Update—Continued Further, Written On May 28th, 2023,' in addition to my 'May 29th, 2023 Update—Continued Further Some More,' which can be found above.)

And I did this in order to show my appreciation for the service and sacrifices of our U.S. Military Personnel and our U.S. Veterans. For, Memorial Day truly is a solemn occasion—which is like a memorial service—to honor those who have died while serving in the United States Military. –Paul Whiting (written May 30th, 2023 and revised July 28th, 2023)

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May 29th, 2023 Update—Continued Further Some More Than Before, Like Never Before [My Writing About IAVA's National Moment Of Silence, A.K.A. "The #GoSilent Campaign" (for 2023) (Originally From My Blog Post Titled, "I Am No Longer Being An Activist In The Same Way That I Was," Which Is On My "Poet, Artist and Philosopher" Blog)]:

For Memorial Day 2023, I participated in the IAVA (Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America) national moment of silence "for our nation’s heroes who have made the ultimate sacrifice," including "those who lost their lives during the Global War on Terror (GWOT)," which is "a war that continues to be waged to this day," because the "GWOT has killed more than 7,000 U.S. troops across more than two decades – every one of them volunteers." And I also made a donation to the IAVA (Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America) in order to show my support for IAVA's #GoSilent Campaign and for our U.S. Veterans. –Paul Whiting (written May 29th, 2023 and revised May 27th, 2024)

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October 24th, 2023 Update No. 7 [My Writing About How I Have Changed The Way That I Label My Blog Posts 'Updates' For Any Additional 'Updates' That I Write, After The First 'Update,' By Using A Simple Numbering System, Which Starts With The First 'Update' (Originally From My Blog Post Titled, "I Am No Longer Being An Activist In The Same Way That I Was," Which Is On My "Poet, Artist and Philosopher" Blog)]:

I have changed the way I label the blog post 'updates' that I write because I oftentimes write more than one 'update' per day!

And in the past, I have labeled the second, third, fourth and fifth 'update' with the following extensions—on the days that I write more than 'update'—to differentiate any additional 'updates' from the first one, as follows:

[1st] Month Day, Year Update
[2nd] Month Day, Year Update—Continued
[3rd] Month Day, Year Update—Continued Further
[4th] Month Day, Year Update—Continued Further Some More
[5th] Month Day, Year Update—Continued Further Some More Than Before

However today, October 24th, 2023, I actually had more than five 'updates' to write, so I decided to change how I differentiate any additional 'updates,' from the first 'update,' by using a simple numbering system, which actually starts with the first 'update' that I write, as follows:

Month Day, Year Update No. 1
Month Day, Year Update No. 2
Month Day, Year Update No. 3
Month Day, Year Update No. 4
Month Day, Year Update No. 5
Month Day, Year Update No. 6
Month Day, Year Update No. 7

Therefore, that is why this 'update' is the seventh one for today! –Paul Whiting (written October 24th, 2023 and revised October 28th, 2023)

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May 27th, 2024 Update No. 1, Written On May 23rd, 2024: Have a Memorable Memorial Day, everyone. I signed a Memorial Day card "to honor the military heroes who have made the ultimate sacrifice in service of our country" from the USO (United Service Organizations) today, May 23rd, 2024, that I received today via an email with the subject line, "Before you celebrate Memorial Day weekend…", which stated the following:

SIGN THE CARD

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

HONOR OUR SERVICE MEMBERS BEFORE MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND

ADD YOUR NAME***

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Paul,

Before Memorial Day weekend arrives, we want to make sure we all take a moment to remember what this holiday is really about: honoring the heroes who've made the ultimate sacrifice for our country — and those currently risking their lives to defend our freedoms.

We're counting on 100,000 proud military supporters like you to sign the card via email and text message before Memorial Day ends to show your support for active-duty service members deployed around the world: Will you join thousands of other military supporters and thank our heroes before midnight?

THANK OUR HEROES

Right now, our service members are facing emerging threats from the Iranian military in the Middle East and increased hostility from the governments of Niger and Chad.

In the face of these escalating conflicts around the world, your gratitude and support right now mean so much to our service members risking their lives for our country.

So please, don't miss this chance to honor the fallen and show all our heroes in uniform serving across the globe how much you appreciate everything they do for us. Sign the card now to thank our service members this Memorial Day.

THANK OUR HEROES

Thank you for standing with those who serve this Memorial Day.

The USO

SIGN THE CARD***

***[I used to include hyperlinks contained within the email messages, or the text messages, to which I am referring in these "Activism Updates"; however, I could not figure out how to include the aforementioned hyperlinks, regarding some relevant action that I had taken—such as signing a petition, sending a letter or message to my representative(s) in Congress, signing a USO 'Thank You' card, and/or making a donation—without including my personal information.]

Plus, after I signed the card, I made a one-time donation on the USO.org website to say to our troops, "As we honor our military heroes this Memorial Day, we want you to know how grateful we are for your courageous service and the immense sacrifices you make every day to protect our country."

In addition to that, I already make a recurring monthly donation to the USO in order to show my support for our U.S. Military Personnel! You see, I usually make one-time donations to the USO each month—as often as I can manage when they request a donation via email or text message. Therefore, I am planning to continue making one-time donations to the USO in the future, as often as I can manage to make donations, in addition to making the aforementioned recurring monthly donation.

By the way, did you know that the USO is a not-for-profit organization and not part of the Department of Defense (DoD)? The following description of the USO is from their 'About Us' webpage:

"The USO is not part of the federal government. A congressionally chartered, private organization, the USO relies on the generosity of individuals, organizations and corporations to support its activities, and is powered by a family of volunteers to accomplish our mission of connection."

So, that is why I 'volunteer financially' as a member of the "USO Home Team" through a recurring monthly donation, as well as through one-time donations to the USO each month!

–Paul Whiting (May 23rd, 2024)

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May 27th, 2024 Update No. 2 [My Writing About IAVA's National Moment Of Silence, A.K.A. "The #GoSilent Campaign" (for 2024)]:

For Memorial Day 2024, I participated in the IAVA (Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America) national moment of silence "as our troops continue to be deployed in harm’s way to places like Iraq and Syria," which is why "this is also a good time to remind ourselves of those who keep stepping up and volunteering to risk their lives in order to keep us safe here at home every day." That is why I made the pledge to "#GoSilent with [IAVA] today at 3:00 PM local time to make sure that the sacrifice of the fallen is not forgotten, and to help us remind America of the true meaning behind Memorial Day." And I also made a donation to the IAVA (Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America) in order to show my support for IAVA's #GoSilent Campaign and for our U.S. Veterans. –Paul Whiting (May 27th, 2024)

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November 6th, 2024 Update No. 1 [My Writing About No Longer Being An 'Online Activist' In Any Way, Shape Or Form]: Due to Donald Trump winning the 2024 Presidential Election—and until further notice—I am no longer being an 'Online Activist' in any way, shape or form, which includes no longer signing petitions from political, social, environmental and charitable organizations, and no longer sending letters to my Representative and Senators in Congress, as well as no longer making donations to political, social, environmental and charitable causes. Full stop! I am also unsubscribing from any of the emails that I used to receive from political, social, environmental and charitable organizations. In fact, I am even cancelling all of my monthly political donations to the main Democratic fundraising and coordinating organizations, as well as to the USO (United Service Organizations), in addition to cancelling all of my monthly news organization subscriptions, or news organization donations, because I am absolutely terrified of this second Trump administration. And I fully expect that democracy in America as we know will be over! So, I am choosing to not engage in any 'activism' whatsoever—plus, I am not even sure that I will be exercising my 'civic duty' by voting in any upcoming elections because, as a (formerly) donating and a (potentially former) voting Democrat, I totally fear the retribution of President Donald J. Trump. Full stop! –Paul Whiting (written November 6th, 2024 and revised November 7th, 2024)

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This "Small All White in the Forest" Post No. 159 was edited on November 7th, 2024.

"Poetry is using the fewest words possible in order to describe all that is possible to describe." –Paul Whiting [June 1st, 2022]

Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Post No. 158: For Mother's Day 2013 — "No Mother Should Have To Bury Her Child"

(Image from Everytown For Gun Safety)

WARNING: THIS POST HAS CONTENT THAT MAY BE DISTURBING TO SOME READERS. VIEWER DISCRETION IS ADVISED!

"Dear Senator..."

Dear Senator, No
Mother Should Have To Bury
Her Child—Not Ever!

-Paul Whiting
(a.k.a., Small All White in the Forest)
"I am no barrier to its sun; the light and I are as one!"

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My Poetic Notes:

The reason that I wrote this poem can be summed up with the following statement, which is also the text from the image illustrating this poem:

Dear Senator,

No mother should have to bury her child.

This Mother's Day, my heart goes out to all the mothers whose children were murdered with guns.

The moms of Columbine, Virginia Tech, Tucson, Aurora, Newtown. And the mothers of the 33 people who are murdered with guns every day in this country.

Now is the time for Congress to stand with moms across the country instead of with the NRA. Support background checks for all gun sales.

Happy Mother's Day

https://act.everytown.org/sign/mothersdaycard

Also, beginning in January 2013, I tried to create a post for virtually every holiday and special occasion of which I was aware, but I realized by September 2014 that I did not have enough time and energy to continue posting for every holiday and special occasion. And I decided to keep the poems in that series which were the most relevant to this blog, of which this is one.

And this poem was also published on my "Paul Whiting — A Creative Writer" blog (please see the hyperlink below for the blog), since I feel that the message in this poem applies to the message that I am trying to convey through "Paul Whiting — A Creative Writer."

This poem was written in Portland, Oregon.

-Paulee

https://paulwhitingwriting.blogspot.com

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May 13th, 2023 Update [My Writing About The "Mother's Day Of Action" By Moms Demand Action For Gun Sense In America]: Today, May 13th, 2023, is the "Mother's Day of Action" by Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America! And I received several emails from Moms Demand Action over the last few days, outlining this "Mother's Day of Action as we call on Congress to reinstate the bipartisan assault weapons ban NOW."

So, I have listed the emails in chronological order by the date in which they were received.

The first email that I received from Moms Demand Action was on May 6th, 2023, with the subject line, "We're demanding an assault weapons ban NOW. Join us for a Mother's Day of Action: On Saturday May 13, we're rallying to demand Congress reinstate the bipartisan assault weapons ban.", which stated the following:

Paul–

This Mother's Day Weekend, we're asking for what we all want: For our kids to come home safe and for our families not to be ripped apart by gun violence.

Join us Saturday, May 13 for a Mother's Day of Action as we call on Congress to reinstate the bipartisan assault weapons ban NOW. Find an event near you.

FIND AN EVENT***

As a mother of four, inaction on this crisis leaves me terrified for my children. Gun violence continues to kill 120 people every day, and there have already been more than 180 mass shootings this year. In several of them, an assault weapon was used to kill children while at school, to attack people in acts fueled by hate and bigotry, and to retaliate at former workplaces.

The good news is that we already know that banning assault weapons works. In 1994, after Congress banned assault weapons with bipartisan support, rates of gun violence and mass shootings began to go down. But in 2004, the gun lobby prevented Congress from renewing the ban. That inaction has helped make this crisis as utterly devastating as it has become. We're not going to let the gun lobby win. Banning assault weapons worked before. It can work again now.

And as Moms Demand Action's first ever Executive Director, I know from experience that we can get the job done.

Last summer, we got Congress to pass a major gun safety law for the first time in a generation, the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act. That victory followed a decade of progress in statehouses across the country where Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action volunteers not only helped pass hundreds of good gun safety laws, but also blocked 90 percent of bills backed by the gun lobby.

This Mother's Day Weekend, we're asking our lawmakers to save lives—and we're going to make our voices heard in every single congressional district across the country.

Join us on Saturday, May 13 for a Mother's Day of Action, as we call on Congress to reinstate the bipartisan assault weapons ban NOW: Find an event near you.

Banning assault weapons will not end this crisis altogether, but with your support, we can make sure our country takes this huge step toward a future free from gun violence.

Thank you for being a part of this movement. I can't wait to see you on Mother's Day Weekend.

[Name redacted]
She/Her/Hers
[Title redacted]
Moms Demand Action

The second email that I received from Moms Demand Action was on May 7th, 2023, with the subject line, "Allen, Texas", which stated the following:

Paul–

Yesterday, we emailed you about our upcoming Day of Action to demand a reinstatement of the bipartisan assault weapons ban.

Later yesterday, in Allen, Texas, a man walked into an outlet mall and used an assault weapon to shoot and kill at least eight people, leaving at least another seven people wounded.

We should be able to send our kids shopping, or to school, or to the movies, or a friend's house, without fear that they might not return home. Instead, we're stuck in an endless cycle of gun violence devastating our communities and families, all while our lawmakers do little to prevent it.

Mass shootings are not acts of nature—they are preventable tragedies caused by lawmakers' inaction and the gun industry's greed. We shouldn't have to live like this.

Join us at a rally near you on Saturday, May 13 to demand our lawmakers do something about this crisis by reinstating the bipartisan assault weapons ban.

Thank you for being in this fight,

Moms Demand Action

The third email that I received from Moms Demand Action—and from Everytown for Gun Safety—was on May 10th, 2023, with the subject line, "We are fed up.", which stated the following:

Paul,

Every day more people are killed or wounded by guns. Our kids are being traumatized. Yet gun lobby-backed lawmakers are turning their backs on us. We've had it.

We are fed up and we will not accept the status quo. That's why, we are launching a Mother's Day of Action this weekend with events across the country calling on Congress to reinstate the assault weapons ban.

Everytown and Moms Demand Action are organizing our communities and showing up in statehouses across the country to demand life-saving action—and we rely on your grassroots support to keep going. Donate today to help us fight for a future free from gun violence >>***

Thank you for being with us,

Everytown and Moms Demand Action

P.S. We just added more events across the country for our Mother's Day of Action this Saturday! Sign up to attend an event near you >>***

The fourth email that I received from Moms Demand Action was on May 12th, 2023, with the subject line, "We're rallying TOMORROW. Find an event near you: We're rallying to demand Congress reinstate the bipartisan assault weapons ban.", which stated the following:

Paul–

We've had enough. We're not going to let the gun lobby win. Banning assault weapons worked before. It can work again now.

We're rallying in communities across the country TOMORROW, Saturday, May 13 to demand Congress reinstate the bipartisan assault weapons ban immediately—and our volunteers have been adding new events every single day.

Will you join us? Find an event near you and help demand an assault weapons ban NOW.

FIND AN EVENT***

We've needed Congress to reinstate an assault weapons ban for years. Our country had one for nearly a decade—and it worked. But in 2004, the gun lobby prevented Congress from renewing the ban, even though it had bipartisan support.

In the years since, we've become all too familiar with the consequences. Inaction has helped make this crisis as utterly devastating as it has become. Gun violence continues to kill 120 people every day, and there have already been more than 180 mass shootings this year. In several of them, an assault weapon was used to kill children while at school, to attack people in acts fueled by hate and bigotry, and to retaliate at former workplaces.

Assault weapons have no place in our communities, and we refuse to let our lawmakers continue to do nothing. Lives are at stake. Inaction is not an option.

Thank you for being in this fight,

[Name redacted]
She/Her/Hers
[Title redacted]
Moms Demand Action

The fifth email that I received from Moms Demand Action was today May 13th, 2023, with the subject line, "Join us in demanding action: Send [your representative in Congress] a message demanding an assault weapons ban NOW", which stated the following:

Paul–

We're rallying in communities across the country today to demand action. Will you join us by sending a message?

Tell [Your Representative in Congress]: Reinstate the bipartisan assault weapons ban NOW!

SEND MY MESSAGE***

We've needed Congress to reinstate the assault weapons ban for years. Our country had one for nearly a decade—and it worked. But in 2004, the gun lobby prevented Congress from renewing the ban, even though it had bipartisan support.

In the years since, we've become all too familiar with the consequences. Gun violence continues to kill 120 people every day, and there have already been more than 210 mass shootings this year. In several of them, an assault weapon was used to kill children while at school, to attack people in acts fueled by hate and bigotry, and to retaliate at former workplaces.

Today, thousands of volunteers are showing up in their communities to make loud and clear that inaction is not an option. Assault weapons have no place in our communities, and we refuse to let our lawmakers continue to do nothing.

Be a part of this Mother's Day of Action: Send a message telling [your representative in Congress] to reinstate the bipartisan assault weapons ban.

Thank you for being a part of this movement. Together, we'll build a future free from gun violence.

Moms Demand Action

Tell Your U.S. Representative: Oppose Gutting Our Gun Laws And Support Gun Safety Legislation

Gun lobby allies in Congress continue to attack the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF)—the federal agency tasked with enforcing our gun laws, solving gun crimes, and keeping our communities safe from gun violence.

Just weeks after a school shooting in Nashville where the shooter used an assault weapon equipped with an arm brace, Republicans on the House Judiciary Committee advanced legislation that would make it easier for dangerous individuals to get their hands on these modified guns.

Enough is enough. Common-sense gun policies on background checks, Extreme Risk Protection Orders, and assault weapons can help prevent shootings and keep our families safe. Inaction is not an option, and these extreme attempts to gut our gun laws are shameful.

Demand the U.S. House prioritize gun safety. Our U.S. representatives must reject this extreme attempt at undermining the ATF, and take action on common-sense gun legislation like expanding background checks to all gun sales, passing a federal Extreme Risk Protection Order law, and reinstating the Assault Weapons Ban.

Dear Representative,

I am writing to you as a constituent filled with grief, fear, and anger. I am fed up. As countless acts of preventable gun violence continue to threaten the safety of communities across the country day after day, I am urging you to oppose the extreme attempts to attack the ATF, including efforts to repeal the ATF's arm brace rule, and, instead, support action on gun safety. I ask you to support common-sense legislation that would expand background checks to all gun sales, create a federal Extreme Risk Protection Order law, and reinstate the Assault Weapons Ban. This common-sense legislation can help prevent tragic mass shootings, as well as the 120 gun deaths that happen every day.

Please, I'm urging you to prioritize public safety. Take action and save lives.

Complete the form to send your message now:

First name: Paul
Last name: Whiting
Prefix: Mr.
Email address: [redacted]
Street address: [redacted]
City: [redacted]
State: [redacted]
ZIP Code: [redacted]
Mobile phone: [redacted]

And, after I sent the letter above to my representative in Congress, via the Everytown for Gun Safety website, I made a one-time donation to Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America (via the Everytown for Gun Safety Action Fund) in order to do my part to "be a part of this Mother's Day of Action [by] send[ing] a message telling [my representative in Congress] to reinstate the bipartisan assault weapons ban." –Paul Whiting (written May 13th, 2023, revised May 18th, 2023, revised June 12th, 2023 and revised September 7th, 2023)

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November 6th, 2024 Update No. 1 [My Writing About No Longer Being An 'Online Activist' In Any Way, Shape Or Form]: Due to Donald Trump winning the 2024 Presidential Election—and until further notice—I am no longer being an 'Online Activist' in any way, shape or form, which includes no longer signing petitions from political, social, environmental and charitable organizations, and no longer sending letters to my Representative and Senators in Congress, as well as no longer making donations to political, social, environmental and charitable causes. Full stop! I am also unsubscribing from any of the emails that I used to receive from political, social, environmental and charitable organizations. In fact, I am even cancelling all of my monthly political donations to the main Democratic fundraising and coordinating organizations, as well as to the USO (United Service Organizations), in addition to cancelling all of my monthly news organization subscriptions, or news organization donations, because I am absolutely terrified of this second Trump administration. And I fully expect that democracy in America as we know will be over! So, I am choosing to not engage in any 'activism' whatsoever—plus, I am not even sure that I will be exercising my 'civic duty' by voting in any upcoming elections because, as a (formerly) donating and a (potentially former) voting Democrat, I totally fear the retribution of President Donald J. Trump. Full stop! –Paul Whiting (written November 6th, 2024 and revised November 7th, 2024)

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This "Small All White in the Forest" Post No. 158 was edited on November 7th, 2024.

"Poetry is using the fewest words possible in order to describe all that is possible to describe." –Paul Whiting [June 1st, 2022]

My poems that are Haiku in their style—within which one stanza is composed of three lines, where each line has words containing five syllables, seven syllables and five syllables, respectively—are a lot more like Senryū poems in that the topic of these poems is typically about people, rather than the topic of these poems being about nature, as is usually the case in classic Haiku poems. And that is why I call these types of poems "Haiku-style." –Paul Whiting [September 19th, 2023]

Sunday, May 5, 2013

Post No. 157: For the 5th of May — "Happy Cinco de Mayo!"

(Image by Paul Whiting)

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

They won the battle—
though they lost the war! Hurrah,
"Cinco de Mayo!"

-Paul Whiting
(a.k.a., Small All White in the Forest)
"I am no barrier to its sun; the light and I are as one!"

My Poetic Notes:

The reason that I wrote this poem can be summed up with the following statement: What the phrase "They won the battle—though they lost the war" means to me is this: The Mexican army of 4,000 that was led by General Ignacio Zaragoza—which was smaller and not-as-well equipped or trained—defeated the larger, much-better equipped and trained invading French army of 8,000 that was sent by Napoleon III.

And although the Mexican army lost at the Second Battle of Puebla, to a French army of 30,000 troops, the Mexican army was still able to defeat the invading French army at the first Battle of Puebla on May 5th, 1862! Hence, the name of "Cinco de Mayo," which is Spanish for "Fifth of May."

And, by the way, Cinco de Mayo is not to be confused with Mexico's Independence Day—the most important national holiday in Mexico—which is celebrated on September 16th each year, commemorating the "Grito de Dolores" in 1810, which is Spanish for "Cry of Dolores." And the 'Grito de Dolores' initiated the war of Mexican independence from Spain—which occurred in Dolores, Mexico, on September 16th, 1810—when Roman Catholic priest Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla rang his church bell and gave the call to arms that triggered the Mexican War of Independence.

Also, beginning in January 2013, I tried to create a post for virtually every holiday and special occasion of which I was aware, but I realized by September 2014 that I did not have enough time and energy to continue posting for every holiday and special occasion. And I decided to keep the poems in that series which were the most relevant to this blog, of which this is one.

And this poem was also published on my "Paul Whiting — A Creative Writer" blog (please see the hyperlink below for the blog), since I feel that the message in this poem applies to the message that I am trying to convey through "Paul Whiting — A Creative Writer."

This poem was written in Portland, Oregon.

-Paulee

https://paulwhitingwriting.blogspot.com

"Cinco de Mayo" from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia—which is funded primarily through donations from millions of individuals around the world, including this blogger (I make a totally affordable monthly donation):

"Cinco de Mayo (...Spanish for 'Fifth of May') is a yearly celebration held on May 5, which commemorates the anniversary of Mexico's victory over the French Empire at the Battle of Puebla in 1862, led by General Ignacio Zaragoza. The victory of a smaller, poorly equipped Mexican force against the larger and better-armed French army was a morale boost for the Mexicans. Zaragoza died months after the battle from an illness, and a larger French force ultimately defeated the Mexican army at the Second Battle of Puebla and occupied Mexico City.

More popular in the United States than in Mexico, Cinco de Mayo has become associated with the celebration of Mexican-American culture. Celebrations began in California, where they have been observed annually since 1863. ... In Mexico, the commemoration of the battle continues to be mostly ceremonial, such as through military parades or battle reenactments. The city of Puebla marks the event with various festivals and reenactments of the battle.

Cinco de Mayo is sometimes mistaken for Mexico's Independence Day—the most important national holiday in Mexico—which is celebrated on September 16, commemorating the Cry of Dolores in 1810, which initiated the war of Mexican independence from Spain. Cinco de Mayo has been referenced and featured in entertainment media, and has become an increasingly global celebration of Mexican culture, cuisine, and heritage."

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cinco_de_Mayo

This "Small All White in the Forest" Post No. 157 was edited on December 7th, 2023.

"Poetry is using the fewest words possible in order to describe all that is possible to describe." –Paul Whiting [June 1st, 2022]

My poems that are Haiku in their style—within which one stanza is composed of three lines, where each line has words containing five syllables, seven syllables and five syllables, respectively—are a lot more like Senryū poems in that the topic of these poems is typically about people, rather than the topic of these poems being about nature, as is usually the case in classic Haiku poems. And that is why I call these types of poems "Haiku-style." –Paul Whiting [September 19th, 2023]

Wednesday, May 1, 2013

Post No. 156: For International Workers' Day 2013

(Image by Paul Whiting)

Happy May Day!
(Or, "Happy International Workers' Day")

"We
Will Not
Become The Slaves
Of The 21st Century."

-Paul Whiting
(a.k.a., Small All White in the Forest)
"I am no barrier to its sun; the light and I are as one!"

My Writing About Every Worker's Right To Freely Join A Labor Union: It is every worker's right to freely join a labor union (without any forced unionism, of course), because of the many valuable benefits that are offered to labor union members, not to mention the fact that labor unions have a long and proud history of winning many victories on behalf of all workers. –Paul Whiting (written May 6th, 2012 and revised September 5th, 2022)

My Writing About Anti-Union: Anti-union is anti-worker! –Paul Whiting (written April 4th, 2015 and revised September 5th, 2022)

My Writing About How I Am Pro-Union: I am pro-union and pro-worker! –Paul Whiting (written October 16th, 2021 and revised September 5th, 2022)

My Writing About Pro-Union: Pro-union is pro-worker! –Paul Whiting (September 5th, 2022)

My Poetic Notes:

The reason that I wrote this poem can be summed up with the following statement: "We Will Not Become The Slaves Of The 21st Century."

Also, beginning in January 2013, I tried to create a post for virtually every holiday and special occasion of which I was aware, but I realized by September 2014 that I did not have enough time and energy to continue posting for every holiday and special occasion. And I decided to keep the poems in that series which were the most relevant to this blog, of which this is one.

And this poem was also published on my "Paul Whiting — A Creative Writer" blog (please see the hyperlink below for the blog), since I feel that the message in this poem applies to the message that I am trying to convey through "Paul Whiting — A Creative Writer."

This poem was written in Portland, Oregon.

-Paulee

https://paulwhitingwriting.blogspot.com

"International Workers' Day" from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia—which is funded primarily through donations from millions of individuals around the world, including this blogger (I make a totally affordable monthly donation):

"International Workers' Day, also known as Labour Day in some places, is a celebration of laborers and the working classes that is promoted by the international labor movement, Anarchists, Socialists, and Communists and occurs every year on May Day, 1 May, an ancient European spring holiday. 1 May was chosen as the date for International Workers' Day by the Socialists and Communists of the Second International to commemorate the Haymarket affair in Chicago that occurred on 4 May, 1886.

Being a traditional European spring celebration, May Day is a national public holiday in many countries, but in only some of those countries is it celebrated specifically as 'Labour Day' or 'International Workers' Day'. Some countries celebrate a Labour Day on other dates significant to them, such as the United States which celebrates Labor Day on the first Monday of September."

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Workers%27_Day

This "Small All White in the Forest" Post No. 156 was edited on May 3rd, 2024.

"Poetry is using the fewest words possible in order to describe all that is possible to describe." –Paul Whiting [June 1st, 2022]

Small All White in the Forest — Poet

Monday, May 27, 2013

Post No. 159: For Memorial Day 2013 — A Memorable Memorial Day

Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Post No. 158: For Mother's Day 2013 — "No Mother Should Have To Bury Her Child"

Sunday, May 5, 2013

Post No. 157: For the 5th of May — "Happy Cinco de Mayo!"

Wednesday, May 1, 2013

Post No. 156: For International Workers' Day 2013

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